Was That a Ghost or Is It Just Cold in Here?

I never understood why there was such a divide between people who believe in ghosts and people who don’t. I feel as if this rift between believers and non-believers has existed ever since Eve took a bite out of that apple. My motto is that if I can see it and I can touch it, then it’s real.

Frankly, I’ve never experienced any sort of paranormal activity. I’m not opposed to a ghost coming to say hello in order to change my mind but it seems as though everyone but me has had at least one ghost/ spirit encounter in their life. Am I ugly or something? It’s come to that point where I want to believe but I have no evidence to back myself up. Nina Simone, are you listening? I hate your music… just kidding.

Through the entirety of this piece, I became more curious about paranormal activity in general so I decided to ask my family members if they’ve ever had any encounters themselves.

The first two people I approached in the developmental stages of this blog post were my sister and brother. Just like me, they’ve never had an experience nor believe in the idea of ghosts and spirits.

My mom, Divina, was the third person I asked. With her being Filipina, I was aware of the superstitions and little quirks she and her siblings so blithely believe in. Superstitions like

never going to sleep with a hat on because all of your hair will fall out or running up and down the stairs a certain number of times when you get your period are just some of the principles Filipinos follow. Crazy right?!?!?

Anyways, when I brought up my blog post topic, my mom gave me a few examples of her so- called “paranormal experiences”. A particular incident my mother recalls transpired while I was away at university.

One night my sister was getting ready for bed when she dropped her brush on the floor. Our dog Hugo, out of nowhere, lunged and attacked her. He bit into her and then immediately recoiled back to his bed. The whole incident was pretty shocking for my family to say the least but for my mother, it was a little more meaningful. She told me that the day my sister was injured was the anniversary of my grandmother’s death. My mother followed by saying that the way in which she interpreted this message was that my grandma’s spirit prevented anything else from happening to Sofia. As if she was a guardian angel that night.

The fourth and last person I asked was my father, Brian. He recounts a time long ago in Prescott, Arizona. My dad and his family went to visit his aunt and uncle, cowboy poet and songwriter, Gail Gardner. He recounts going upstairs and down a long narrow hallway to look at his prized saddle. As he was returning to the living room where everyone was, he felt as if something was coming up from behind him. An indescribable feeling. He recounted that the feeling was off. Something he has never experienced in his life. Something he never forgot. This made me think about any situations where I felt as though I was being watched or followed. The closest I could get to my father's feeling is usually after I watch a scary movie alone. A wave of paranoia sometimes looms over me and I get really freaked out and compensate by watching something mindless like Bob's Burgers or Parks & Rec. I know it’s crap to think that I'm in the presence of something/ someone but it still scares me.

Gail Gardner

Whether ghosts are real or not, I don’t judge. Maybe they know something I don’t. I realize now that that’s okay. Coming from experience, not knowing everything is fun and how life ultimately works. Hell, maybe I’ll have a ghost experience and become a born-again devil worshiper. BRING IT ON! For now, I am still not a believer but the experiences that my parents and friends recall telling still resonate within me and make me somewhat look over my shoulder now and then.